Indians Prospect Insider

There are big-time names out on the market that several teams will be looking at as the trade deadline approaches. Jeff Ellis will look at a couple of those names, but will throw out a few more that aren't being talked about at all. With the Indians struggling to find offensive help from the right-handed side of the plate, they'll have to get creative. Join Jeff to find out a few of those creative ideas...after the jump...

Major League Baseball created a new rules system for the 2012 major league draft that many are still trying to figure out. The Cleveland Indians went into the draft with a play. IPI's draft guru Jeff Ellis focuses his thoughts not only on the Indians top ten draft, but also on the rest of the best...and worst. Which team does Jeff think had the best draft in 2012? Check it out, after the jump...

The first-year MLB player draft begins tomorrow, and with it, Indians Prospect Insider is kicking into full gear getting ready for the best coverage in the baseball universe. At the root of all this is our very own draft-guru Jeff Ellis, who has forgotten more about prospects in most drafts than many ever know. Join Jeff for his final mock-draft heading into this week's festivities. Will the Tribe acquire more pitching, or will corner power dominate the early rounds?

The 2012 MLB Draft is only two days away. As we get set to cover the draft inside and out here at the IPI, Jeff Ellis took some time to put together his "Big Board" and ranked out the best 35 players heading into the draft. Jeff, Tony and the rest of the crew will be all over the draft this week with lots of news and information on every player the Cleveland Indians draft.

The 2012 MLB Draft is but a week away as the first round of the draft will be televised live on the MLB Network at 7:00PM next Monday night. Jeff Ellis chimes in with his second mock draft and gives his thoughts and projections at which players go where in the first 31 picks of the draft. He also has the Indians picking up a right-handed bat, a pick where value meets need.

We are 11 days away and counting from the MLB Draft. With that in mind, over the next week and a half several draft related articles will be posting to the IPI with thoughts on the draft, mock drafts, and conversations with Brad Grant and others. Today, resident draft expert Jeff Ellis touches on what the Indians are predicted to do with their first pick and why it would be okay, and also who else he may consider there.

The Indians were looking to win the rubber match of their series against the Miami Marlins, and they had their de facto ace, Derek Lowe on the hill. Thanks to an offense that couldn't get it done, and a bullpen that saw it's fringe relievers struggle, the Marlins and Ozzie Guillen took the series with a 5-3 win. Jeff gives his "Second Thoughts," as he does every Sunday...

In a span of twelve months from July 2009 to July 2010, lefty Cliff Lee was traded three times. First the Indians sent the reigning Cy Young winner to the Phillies, then the Phillies sent him to Seattle in the offseason, and then Seattle sent him to Texas in July. Jeff Ellis compares all three trades and makes his case for who got the best deal, and he also gives his winners on the deals.

The Indians were looking to split a four-game series in Boston, and coming off of Thursday night's big win vs. Josh Beckett, it looked like another road series win for the Indians. After today's 12-1 loss, the Indians are now on a three-game losing streak, with two struggling "aces," and an offense that has little answers. Jeff Ellis gives us his Second Thoughts on the Indians debacle from Sunday afternoon's ballgame.

Jeff Ellis is not happy. The Indians are 17-13, in first place, and just took a series over the weekend against the best team in the American League the last three years....yet no one is showing up for the games as the Indians are dead last in all of baseball in attendance. And by a LARGE margin. Jeff opines on the situation and why support goes hand-in-hand with fielding a competitive team.

The battle of first place teams concluded today with the Indians and Ubaldo Jimenez coming out on top, 4-2. Perhaps it's time for some folks to start taking the Indians a bit more seriously, as they maintained their 1 1/2 game lead on the Tigers for first place in the A.L. Central. Jeff returns to give his Second Thoughts on the Indians' Sunday afternoon tilt.

The MLB Draft is but five weeks away and IPI draft guru Jeff Ellis gets us all ready for it with his first mock draft. Today's version only covers the first half of the first round, but with the Indians picking 15th, it covers the important part. Jeff outlines all the picks before the Indians make theirs. His projected pick should make a lot of Indians' fans happy.

The Indians used every miscue they could from the Angels on Sunday afternoon to win the game 4-0, and take the series 2 games to 1. Derek Lowe has emerged as the ace of the staff, and Michael Brantley is finally looking like a lead-off hitter. IPI's own Jeff Ellis takes the reigns today of our newest daily column, Second Thoughts, our daily Indians recap.

IPI draft guru Jeff Ellis gets us up to speed on Major League Baseball's First Year Player Draft which kicks up on June 4th. He provides some of he significant injuries in college and high school, who may go #1 overall, and who the Indians may target with their first pick. The draft is only about six weeks away!

It is no secret that the Indians are looking for outfield help after working out Vladimir Guerrero and trying to trade for Bobby Abreu last week. Even though the Indians have announced their Opening Day roster, the Indians are still looking for help to fill the left field void. Jeff Ellis runs down a list of possible options the Indians may consider acquiring.

BABIP....what is it and how does it work? Most of all, can we use it to gain any insight into how some Indians players will perform this season? Many people do not understand this stat (or want to understand it), but Jeff Ellis explains what it is and why it is important in his latest article from his explaining stats series.

As crazy as it sounds, but the 2012 MLB Draft is less than three months away. Before we know it 50 new players will be drafted by the Indians and have an opportunity to join the Indians' family. The IPI's Jeff Ellis takes an opening look at the top talents expected to go in the early part of the draft and potentially be selected by the Indians in the first round.

These are the "can't miss kids". Players that are former members of the Top 100 Prospect club as named by Baseball America. With over a thousand players in the minors every season, at one time these "can't miss kids" were considered the best 100 prospects going into that season and were thought to end up being at worst solid major leaguers.
Each player had a pedigree and now has a few flaws...

Available IBI Books

The 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!